


For Your Own Good

by Kitaa



Category: Devilman (Anime & Manga), Devilman Crybaby - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Nightmares, Unrepentant Fluff, akira is too sweet and good, because devilman, bed sharing, but still pretty fluffy, i mean ryo's still a manipulative distant shit, mentions of violence and murder, wet dream mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 07:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13566123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitaa/pseuds/Kitaa
Summary: Akira goes to Ryo's apartment most nights for his second dinner.  Tonight, though, Ryo insists that he stay the night afterward.  For his own good, of course.





	For Your Own Good

**Author's Note:**

> It sounds like the premise to a smut fic, but it's not, I'm sorry. Just fluff and comfort, because Akira is too sweet and would forgive Ryo nearly anything.

It had become a routine of Akira's to spend at least part of his evening at Ryo's apartment. Usually he headed there after dinner; the Makimuras were fantastic cooks, but they were vegetarian, and as good as their food was, it just didn't satisfy him like it used to.

When he'd told Ryo that, he'd simply stared, dumbfounded. "Then come over here. I'll get you whatever you want."

Akira had resisted for a while. Bonito flakes were good enough.

And then he'd been visiting Ryo to see how he was recovering, and his secretary had come in with roasted chicken and it was all over. Now he went to Ryo's most nights after dinner, for another dinner, consisting entirely of meat.

"Let me pay you back for it, at least."

"Why? Pretty sure I make more money than you do. Or does being an unemployed high schooler pay well these days?"

"That's not the point."

"Then what _is_ the point, Akira? I got you into this situation, at least let me feed you."

"Okay, okay," Akira smiled. Sometimes Ryo could be nice. Not that anyone ever believed him when he said so.

Miki would just roll her eyes, "He showed up to the docks with a _gun_ , Akira. You need to be careful."

As if Ryo would ever do anything to hurt him. They'd known each other far too long for Akira to worry about that. But Miki, and by extension, her family, worried when he spent much time at Ryo's. And he'd known _them_ too long to not respect that.

"Hey, Ryo. Thanks for dinner, again. It's gotten pretty late. I should head home."

Ryo didn't even look up from his laptop. "Stay here."

"Huh? Why?" Akira stared at him, confused. This wasn't like Ryo at all. Usually he just nodded as he headed out the door.

"It's safer," heanswered. "For you, and for them. What do you think would happen to them if peoplefound out what you are?"

"I'd protect them."

"So you'd never leave the house? Never let any of _them_ leave the house? Great plan."

"We could all go somewhere safe..." Suddenly unsure of himself, his voice trailed off.

"And maybe demons would come to you, one a time, politely knocking on the door and asking if you could come out to play."

Akira scowled. "It doesn't matter. Nobody's gonna find out."

Ryo raised an eyebrow, and a smug smile twitched across his lips. "Oh? You're that certain?"

"Yeah. I'm careful."

A quiet snort came from Ryo's direction.

"I _am_!"

"Akira, that worthless journalist had you on _camera_. You're lucky I took care of it."

_Took care of it_. Akira wrinkled his nose. Ryo had cornered the man and shot him, point blank, in the head. "You shouldn't have killed him."

Ryo finally looked away from the screen, fixing him with a serious stare. "Akira. Use your brain. He _knew_ what you are. Killing him was the only way to make sure he kept quiet. Besides, wasn't he making life difficult for your _friend_?"

Akira flopped back in the chair and sighed, "Look. Just because somebody's a jerk doesn't mean you should--"

Ryo's eyes went back to his computer. "Too late now."

Even when they werekids, Ryo hadn't had much regard for the value of life. If he felt something was better off dead, it was difficult to stop him. Whether that was why other people shunned him, or if it was some kind of response to having been shunned before, Akira didn't know. But he _did_ know that Ryo could also be fiercely protective, and that he was at his most dangerous when those two inclinations intersected.

If Ryo thought he was safer, and that the people he cared about would be safer, if he didn't go home... then maybe he _should_ stay.

Akira sighed. "I'll stay.Tonight, at least."

Ryo snapped the laptop shut and stood up. "Good. I'm heading to bed, then."

"Okay. I'll sleep down here on the sofa."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why would you sleep on the sofa?"

Ryo's apartment was impressive, but not very hospitable for guests. Akira knew that the only things upstairs werea single bedroom, and a bathroom."Do you want me to sleep on the floor? It's not like I shed! I mean... not _usually_. Sometimes I have weird dreams and transform, and then--"

Ryo shook his head, "Don't be stupid, Akira. Come on." He headed upstairs, without even a glance behind him to see if Akira was following.

But of course, Akira did.

Maybe there was another room up there that he hadn't noticed, or maybe Ryo had a sleeping bag or a futon or something.

But no. There was, just as Akira had thought, only the one bedroom, and the small adjoining bathroom. And inside the bedroom was only one bed, and no other furniture large enough to sleep on.

Ryo didn't seem to notice his worry, and sat down on the edge of the bed, plugging in his laptop. Akira stared at him. "What's the matter? I thought you said you were tired."

"Ryo, there's nowhere for me to sleep."

"This is a very large bed, Akira. There's plenty of room." He gestured to the unoccupied side of the bed. It _was_ very large. Probably bigger than Akira's own bed at home.

"I don't care! I can't-- I can't sleep in your bed, Ryo!" Akira turned red, and hoped the darkness would hide it. Ever since the night he'd had that strange dream and woke up to that horrible mess, he'd felt terrible about sleeping in his _own_ bed. He certainly wasn't going to risk that happening while he was sharing a bed with someone, especially not _Ryo_.

"Why not?"

He certainly wasn't going to admit the truth. They were close, but "the last time I had a wet dream, I coated the ceiling and I'd feel really bad if it happened again tonight and it dripped onto your face while you slept," was _not_ something he was willing to say.

"What if... what if I transform in the middle of the night, and accidentally hurt you?" That seemed like as good an excuse as anything.

"I thought you had better control of yourself than that." Ryo shrugged and started typing, completely ignoring Akira.

"Don't be angry, Ryo--"

"I'm not _angry_. I just don't understand why you'd rather scrunch up on the sofa."

Akira twisted his hands for a moment, but finally relented. It was just one night. Probably nothing would happen. "Fine."

"Good." Did Ryo smile slightly? Or was that just his imagination?

He crawled onto the bed; it was comfortable. Surely far more comfortable than the sofa would have been. It wasn't surprising. Everything in Ryo's apartment was almost excessively luxurious. He still wouldn't tell Akira how he made his money, but it was clear that he made quite a bit of it. The pillow and the sheets even _smelled_ nice.

Akira's face went red again. _Stop thinking about how his pillows smell, that's weird. Just lay down and go to sleep._

"Jenny washes them twice a week," Ryo announced, as if he could read Akira's mind.

"O-oh. That's... nice of her."

"Not really. I pay her to do it."

"Ah. Um. That's... nice of _you,_ then _._ "

Ryo looked over at him, confused. "Akira, go to sleep. You're acting like this is some big deal. How is it any different than sharing a tent when we were kids?"

Akira curled in on himself on the far side of the bed as best he could. "Because we're not kids," he grumbled.

"No, you've become quite the strapping young man, haven't you?"

"Shut up."

A soft laugh answered him. "Akira, you're worrying too much. I should be the one worrying, shouldn't I? That the demon inside you might take you over in the night, and attack me, or something."

"Sh'up." He mumbled it into his arm, feeling silly. Ryo didn't understand. Didn't understand how uncomfortable it was to not know what your own body might do, how it threatened to overtake him with urges he didn't want to act on. Didn't understand how clean and pristine his stupid bed was, and how that just make Akira feel worse.

"I'm not worried," Ryo continued. "If anything happens, it's my fault. It's just like the food, Akira. I did this. Let me watch out for you." He reached over and patted Akira's shoulder. "Okay?"

"Okay..." If that was the way he saw it, then maybe this wouldn't end in disaster. Maybe.

"Good. You have to remember, you're not in this alone. I can't do much, but let me do what I can."

Akira smiled to himself. This was the side of Ryo that he was sure only he'd seen. Protective, but kind. Distant still, but warm, like a bright star in the night sky. He nodded, "Thanks, Ryo. G'night."

"Good night."

Soon, the only thing he could hear was the quiet sound of Ryo typing. He closed his eyes and listened; his keystrokes were swift and precise. What was he working on, that needed so many words? He'd never been sure, exactly, of what Ryo did.

Possibilities drifted through his mind, and occupied on them, instead of on his worry, Akira drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

Akira woke in darkness, all his senses warning him that something was wrong. He took a deep breath, and tried to get his bearings. Nothing seemed out of place, at first.

And then he heard it: a low whimpering from beside him. He realized that something warm was pressed against his back. Too warm to be a blanket. Startled, he turned and looked over his shoulder.

It was Ryo. Face buried between Akira's shoulder blades, whining and shaking.

"Don't. _Please_ don't... I know. I _know_ , just... don't. I don't want to forget--"

"Ryo?"

No answer.

Akira tried again, a little louder. "Ryo, are you awake?"

His answer was nothing but more distressed murmurs.

"Bad dreams, huh?"

Ryo's face pushed harder against him.

Akira rolled over as gently as he could. He didn't want to wake Ryo up, but he couldn't just let him stay upset like that. So he pulled him into a hug; Ryo's heart was pounding so hard that he could feel it, despite two layers of clothing between them. "It's okay, Ryo..." he crooned quietly. "Everything's okay. It's just a dream."

Ryo let out a pitiful whine, but stopped shaking.

"There we go... See, it's okay. I'm here, it's okay." Akira curled his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Ryo's neck, pulled him in closeragainst his shoulder.

In time, Ryo's heartbeat calmed, and his breathing grew deeper and more relaxed.

"Good work. See, everything's okay. You're gonna be okay."

Ryo's arms wrapped around him; it was probably some sort of reflex, or something, Akira knew, but it still brought a smile to his face. "I've got you. You're so worried about keeping an eye on me, who's supposed to keep an eye on you, huh?"

The mumble that answered him was soft and unintelligible. Akira laughed, feeling tears prick at his eyes. Was _this_ why Ryo had wanted him to stay so badly?

It was almost hard to believe that Ryo, usually so stoic, could have nightmares. Especially nightmares so bad that he was nearly willing to admit that he needed comforting. But he was, after all, only human. He needed support just like anyone. And Akira had sworn, a long time ago, that he'd be there for him. That he'd be the person who tried to understand him, no matter what happened.

He felt like he'd come just a little bit closer to that understanding tonight.

Akira tightened his arms around Ryo, suddenly overcome with fondness. "You should have just _told_ me, Ryo."


End file.
